"Decoded" is an intimate, first-person portrait of the life and art of Jay-Z, organized around a "decoding" of his most famous and provocative lyrics. This beautifully designed, fully illustrated book offers a surprising and revealing look at the life, influences, and artistic process of one of the most successful, widely admired, controversial, and compelling figures in American culture today.

Reviews

"Compelling . . . provocative, evocative . . . Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author's own work, "Decoded" gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics."--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times"

"One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own."--"The New Yorker"

"Elegantly designed, incisively written . . . an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps."--"Los Angeles Times"

"A riveting exploration of Jay-Z's journey . . . So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism."--"The Boston Globe "

"Shawn Carter's most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z . . . The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating."--"Entertainment Weekly "


"From the Trade Paperback edition."